Voices
by WhiteSword6621
Summary: I pulled a character from the background of the movie...who becomes Christian's new employer! Christian is saddened by the loss of Satine, can he cope with a new job?
1. Interviews

Disclaimer – I don't own Moulin Rouge, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc.  
  
Christian's POV  
  
Two years have passed since the death of my love. But still, I can't shake her from my mind. I wrote our story. But I can't move on. I did what she asked. I wrote our story. I wish I were dead though. Our story has been published. Many copies have been bought. I would love for Satine to smile at the fact that her story is recognized, that people still remember her. People stop me and tell me how much they enjoyed the play. They said they were sorry about her death. Satine won't smile again. I wish I had died with her, so that we could have died together, smiling. At first, I thought there was nothing I could do. But I realize there is something I can do, I can die. Soon, I intend to end my own life. It will be the most profound moment of my life.  
  
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Christian looked up from the familiar clicking of the typewriter.  
"Come in!" He called. Toulouse walked in then, beaming.  
"Christian, the most wonderful news!" Christian gave a small smile.  
"What is it, Toulouse?" The tiny man shuffled over to Christian's desk. He frowned as he saw the three wine bottles that were empty on Christian's desk.  
"You really ought to stop drinking, Christian." He scolded. Christian rolled his eyes. This coming from the man who had nearly gotten him hooked on Absinthe. In any case, Toulouse stopped frowning and smiled again.  
"You have got a job interview!" Toulouse exclaimed. Christian got out of his chair and strolled over to the window.  
"I don't want a job, Toulouse. And I know I don't need the money. The book gave me all I need." Christian reminded Toulouse. However, Toulouse seemed to disagree. He shook his head frantically, making the spectacles on the end of his nose sway oddly.  
"It's an intriguing job offer, Christian. I arranged for the interview to be at noon tomorrow, at her house." Christian turned sharply.  
"Her? A woman? Toulouse, I'm not doing whatever line of work you're suggesting," Christian began, looking angry.  
"No, Christian. It's more innocent than it sounds. Besides, she's a fan of yours." And with that, Toulouse walked out. Christian slumped against the wall and slowly sank down, torturing himself yet again, thinking of Satine and that smile.  
  
Madame Airee sat in her parlor, waiting for the man to enter. He finally did, a timid looking man, tapping his fingers nervously against the hat he held in his hands. Airee smiled at him.  
"Hello, Christian." She greeted him. The man smiled and then went back to looking shy.  
"Good day, Madame." She gestured to the chair in front of her.  
"Please, sit. Don't look so nervous. I'm not trying to frighten you." The veiled woman said. Christian nodded and sat down. The woman extended her hand.  
"I am Madame Aileen Airee. You are just the man I wanted to see, Christian." The young man looked up, looking puzzled.  
"But, I, but, why me?" He asked finally. Aileen lifted her veil off and shook her head, allowing her hair to shake down. Long, heavy, wavy hair that hung down to her shoulder blades. She had a pleasant face, with a warm smile and dark brown eyes that looked like dark honey. However, overall, Christian concluded that she was not pretty. Aileen smiled.  
"I realize you don't find me beautiful, Christian. Especially not as lovely as your costar was." She informed him teasing at first, but gently as she delivered her last line. Christian looked down.  
"No, you are quite...beautiful, it's just..."Christian was fumbling for words again. The woman laughed.  
"No need to try and trick me, my friend. I spent long hours sighing in front of the mirror as a child trying to figure out how to become beautiful. Obviously, it got me nowhere. I got over it eventually, Christian. Don't feel the need to lie." Christian nodded, going slightly red.  
"So...so you asked me here to interview for a job?" Christian asked tentatively. Aileen nodded her face serious.  
"I did. In fact, it's a job no one but you can fill Christian." Christian looked startled, and somewhat wary.  
"Why?" The woman settled back against the couch, relaxing. She studied him for a moment before beginning again.  
"I was there the day Satine died. I was at the performance. I was wearing a cream colored suit, sitting in an aisle seat and watching. The gun landed near to me, if I recall correctly. And you walked up the very same aisle. I'm sorry it didn't go right for you, Christian. But what I realized afterwards was that I fell in love with that song, and your voice, Monsieur Christian." Christian looked even more embarrassed.  
"But what does that have to do with me?" He asked. Aileen smiled.  
"In good time. All in good time. I wanted to hear the song again, but obviously, the show was finished. I contacted Monsieur Zidler. But he told me that very regrettably, he was not quite sure of all the words, and that it was not his song to sing. I was lucky enough to find the book you wrote. Yet I could not find an audience with the author. It was a lucky thing that I happened to come across Monsieur Toulouse. He told me he would personally arrange the meeting. He said he worried about you. I wish I had your singing skills. If I did Christian, I would merely ask you to teach me the words to the song. You did not include them all in the book, and sometimes the tune escapes my head. Besides, my own voice is not suitable for the song, and it is you I wish to hear sing it." Christian opened his mouth as if to say something.  
"I can't sing that song anymore." Christian said, his eyes flashing. But he remembered it, Aileen could tell. There was a hurt in his eyes that told her that he would give anything to drink it away, to forget and heal.  
"I want you to think about it Christian. Talk it over with your friends. You can't lock yourself away forever. My offer stands as such, you live here for a year. A year is all I ask. I would ask you sing one song a night at dinner, whatever song you like. The rest of the day and night is yours. Meals will be provided. You may have as much money as you like, I'll pay you a salary, but you'll be given additional money for anything else you desire. Think it over." Aileen told him. Christian nodded.  
"Thank you, Madame. I will, I will think it over. But I don't think I can accept." He told her, getting up to leave, still fiddling with the hat. Aileen looked up at him and smiled.  
"Think it over." She repeated, walking out of the room. Christian sighed, letting himself over.  
"Think it over." He mumbled, shaking his head. 


	2. Manageries and Songs

Disclaimer – I don't own Moulin Rouge, any plots, settings, characters, events from it.  
  
Christian sat in his room for days, unable to think of anything but Satine. He sat on his balcony, staring at the unmoving windmill. Toulouse came again and asked about the interview. Toulouse clapped when Christian told him the offer.  
"Wonderful! Take the job, Christian. Even Satine would want you to. None of us want you to spend your life wishing about what was. Live what could be!" Toulouse urged, letting himself out again. Christian continued to stare at the windmill. He remember how after Satine's death, Nini had come. He remembered her very clearly from the first time he saw her, in her bright yellow dress. When he opened the door, she had come in, wearing a dark yellow dress, which Christian assumed was supposed to show she was in mourning. Her eye makeup was running, and she was swinging a bottle of alcohol. She hurried in past him, swaying.  
"Hey, Shakespeare." She greeted him with a slur. Christian nodded, leaning against the wall defensively.  
"What do you want?" He asked. Nini sat down the bottle with a sharp ringing sound.  
"I just came to say...I'm sorry. Couldn't help but think maybe, it I hadn't turned you two in to the Duke, it'd be different. It was...just a bit of fun. Jealous, I guess." Nini said with a laugh, staring off into space. Christian regarded her with a cool eye.  
"It wouldn't be different. She was dying since before I met her. It was always too late for us." Christian said fiercely.  
"Yeah. Yeah. Maybe it was." Nini said in a low voice, musing under her breath. She let herself out just as suddenly as she came in.  
Christian took a deep breath and headed inside, rubbing his head with one hand. Did he even remember the song? He closed his eyes. Yes. He remembered. The song came back. Christian looked around at the messy room. Did he want to get out of here? Very possibly, yes. It was amazingly cluttered. Papers and bottles and just rubbish in general. His days would be free, he could just walk back to the Moulin Rouge. Besides, there was a way to get out of this year-long job, death. Christian sat down lazily in his chair, with the air of someone giving in. He was now employed.  
  
Christian looked around his new, clean room.  
"It's very, nice, thank you." Christian said slowly to Aileen. She smiled.  
"I'm glad. If you need anything, one of the maids or butlers can fetch it for you." She told him, walking away again. Christian spent awhile wandering around the house. It was huge and impressive and elegant, the king Christian would've liked to build for Satine. He walked into one room that was very open. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, it was nearly all white. There were a few trees in the corners. To his amazement, birds flew everywhere. White doves, red cardinals, blue birds, sparrows, chickadees, flew over his head. A voice from behind him startled him.  
"So you've found the menagerie of birds, Monsieur?" A girl asked. Christian turned to see a young woman wearing humble, plain clothes. Christian smiled shyly.  
"Yes. I did. It's amazing." He told her truthfully. The girl came closer, smiling.  
"Madame Aileen loves animals. Birds mainly. But she has a pond in her room, full of fish. She even has a few cats and dogs."  
"That's kind of her." The servant smiled.  
"It is. A very nice woman, she is. Oh, you must be the singer!" The girl exclaimed, extending her hand.  
"Yes. I am. Christian." He said in greeting. The girl grinned again.  
"Oh I know. Madame Aileen talks about you all the time. I'm Adele." She told him. "So can I hear you sing sometime?" Christian looked down, flustered.  
"It would bore you."  
"No it wouldn't. And I'd love to hear about Satine sometime!" Adele pressed. "Madame was always talking about her as well."  
"Well, why don't you just read the book?" Christian stammered, not wanting to explain everything. Adele scowled slightly and walked over to a cage, letting a gentle dove climb onto her hand.  
"I can't read, Monsieur Christian." She told him, still slightly angry.  
"Oh. Well, I wouldn't mind telling you. But it's a long story." Adele smiled.  
"I like stories." They sat down amid the birds, and Christian told her the entire story.  
"What are you going to sing for Madame?" Adele asked when he finished. Christian shrugged.  
"I'm not sure. Whatever I remember first. Can you sing?" He asked, stroking the dove that Adele held. Adele laughed.  
"Me? Not really. The only song I really know that well is a song I learned in Austria."  
"You've been to Austria?" He asked, surprised.  
"Only for awhile. It was called Edelweiss." She told him.  
"I'd like to hear it, if you don't mind." Adele looked down at him, considering. Then she smiled.  
"All right. That's fair. You shared with me, I'll share with you Christian." She told him gamely. He wondered when they reached a first name basis, but shrugged it out of his mind.  
"Edelweiss, Edelweiss, every morning you greet me! Soft and bright, clean and white, you look happy to see me! Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever. Edelweiss, Edelweiss, bless my homeland forever." Adele blushed.  
"I'm pretty sure that's it. I might have heard a shortened version." Christian smiled.  
"It was great." He assured her. She smiled, then looked at the sun.  
"Oh! I've got to go help with dinner. Good luck with your song!" She called, getting to her feet so quickly the dove got startled and flew up into the tree. 


	3. Singing and Anger

Disclaimer - I don't own Moulin Rouge, any characters, events, plots, settings, etc. from it.  
  
Christian stood nervously in the corner of the room, waiting. Seconds later, Madame Aileen had joined him. She sat in her chair and beamed at him.  
  
"Sing, Christian. Sing." She ordered gently. Christian nodded abruptly, took a sip of water and clasped his hands behind his back. He opened his mouth and...began to sing.  
  
"Never knew, I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky, before  
Want to vanish, inside your kiss!  
  
Every day I'm love you more, and more  
Listen to my heart, can you hear, it sings?  
Tellin' me to give you everything!  
  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
But I love you, til the end of time  
Come what may!  
Come what may!  
I will love you, until my dying day!  
  
Suddenly the world, seems such a perfect place!  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste!  
It all revolves, around you  
  
And there's no mountain, too high!  
No river, too wide!  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side!  
  
Storm clouds may gather, and stars may collide  
But I love you  
Til the end  
Of  
Time  
  
Come what may!  
Come what may!  
I will love you, until my dying day!  
  
Oh, come what may! Come, what may! I will love you, until my dying, day!" Christian's voice rolled out of his mouth like the water in a stream, clear and crisp and melodious. Christian didn't have to think about the words, they poured out naturally, his mind focusing on dynamics. When he came to an end, Aileen was smiling, her eyes closed.  
  
"Thank you Christian. You may go." Christian nodded and hurried from the room, exiting through the nearest door, nearly knocking Adele over in his haste. She was beaming at him.  
  
"You were amazing, Christian! Now I know why Madame chose you!" She informed him proudly. Christian managed a shy smile before rushing off to his room, locking the door behind him and sinking down, full of memories.  
  
The next day, Christian approached the bird menagerie, wanting to sit in peace and quiet. What surprised him, as he neared the bright room, was his own song, echoing off the walls, but sung by another. Adele was singing to the birds, her voice rising to the ceiling. Christian stopped his tracks. Satine had sang the same song. It was hers. Angry, Christian turned away and found a darker room, where he shut himself in. He dreaded facing Madame Aileen at dinner again. Still, he made his way to the dining room at the same time as before, and stood once more before Aileen.  
  
"Sing." She commanded again. Christian's mind was in turmoil, angry and happy at the same time.  
  
"My gift is my song! And this one's for you. And you can tell everybody, that this is your song! It may be quite simple, but now that it's done.  
  
Hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words! How wonderful life is, now you're in the world!  
  
Sat on the roof, and I kicked off the moss! While some of these verses well they, they got me quite cross! But the sun's been kind, while I wrote this song! It's for people like you that keep it turned on!  
  
So excuse me forgetting, for these things I do! You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue! Anyway the thing is, what I really mean! Yours are the sweetest eyes, I've ever seen!  
  
And you can tell everybody, this is your song! It may be quite simple but, now that it's done! Hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words! How wonderful life is... Now you're in the world!" Again, the song was wonderful. Christian took his leave quickly, never noticing Adele, standing in the corner, listening with eager ears. 


End file.
